Calibrachoa plant named ‘USCAL42202’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘USCAL42202’, characterized by its compact, upright to outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance; freely flowering habit; violet-colored flowers with central purple-colored star pattern and yellow-colored throats; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘USCAL42202’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘USCAL42202’.

The new Calibrachoa plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and Bonsall, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new uniform and freely-branching Calibrachoa plants with unique and attractive flower coloration and good garden performance.

The new Calibrachoa plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on May 8, 2011 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietary seedling selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 11CJ22-03, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary seedling selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 11CJ32-01, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Bonsall, Calif. on May 24, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Bonsall, Calif. since May 25, 2012 has shown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoa plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and various cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘USCAL42202’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘USCAL42202’ as a new and distinct Calibrachoa plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright to outwardly spreading and mounding plant         habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Violet-colored flowers with central purple-colored star         pattern and yellow-colored throats.     -   5. Good garden performance.

The new Calibrachoa plant can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have purplish pink-colored flowers.

The new Calibrachoa plant can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have brownish purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the Calibrachoa sp. ‘USCAL91001’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,232. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Bonsall, Calif., plants of the new Calibrachoa differed primarily from plants of ‘USCAL91001’ in flower color as plants of ‘USCAL91001’ had red purple-colored flowers with yellow-colored star-shaped pattern and centers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can also be compared to plants of the Calibrachoa sp. ‘USCAL56501’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,628. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Bonsall, Calif., plants of the new Calibrachoa differed primarily from plants of ‘USCAL56501’ in flower color as plants of ‘USCAL56501’ had violet-colored flowers with darker violet-colored centers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Calibrachoa plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Calibrachoa plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘USCAL42202’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘USCAL42202’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring in 11.5-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse and subsequently in an outdoor nursery in Bonsall, Calif. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 24° C. and night temperatures ranged from 13° C. to 16° C. Plants were pinched two times and were six weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. ‘USCAL42202’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 11CJ22-03, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 11CJ32-01, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About four days at             temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 29° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six days at             temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About 22 days at             temperatures ranging from 16° C. to 29° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, winter.—About 25 days at             temperatures ranging from 16° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright to outwardly             spreading and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit             with about twelve primary lateral branches each with             multiple secondary branches; pinching enhances branching;             dense and bushy appearance; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 11 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 22.5 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 12.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.8 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Aspect.—Initially upright then outwardly spreading to             mounding.         -   Texture.—Pubescent; minute.         -   Color.—Close to 144A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate; after flowering,             opposite; leaves simple.         -   Length.—About 3 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical.         -   Apex.—Broadly acute to rounded.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; minute.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             137B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A;             venation, close to 146C. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 146D.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; minute. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 146C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single salverform flowers             arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with             typically about nine open flowers per lateral branch and             more than 500 developing per plant; flowers face upright to             outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Calibrachoa             begin flowering about four weeks after planting; plants             flower continuously from spring though the summer until             autumn in Southern California.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about three to             four days on the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.             Shape: Oblong. Color: Close to 85B.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.4 cm by 2.5 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 2.3 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 6 mm by 8 mm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 1.8 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter, base.—About 2.5 mm.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five fused petals opening into a             flared trumpet. Petal lobe length (from throat): About 1 cm.             Petal lobe width: About 1.2 cm. Petal shape: Obovate. Petal             apex: Rounded. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper             surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Petal texture, lower             surface: Pubescent; minute, along veins. Throat texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Pubescent; minute. Color:             Petal lobe, when opening, upper surface: Close to N87B.             Petal lobe, when opening, lower surface: Close to 85C. Petal             lobe, fully opened, upper surface: Close to 86C; towards the             throat, star pattern close to N79A; venation, close to 86B;             color becoming closer to 86D with development. Petal lobe,             fully opened, lower surface: Close to 85C; venation, close             to N79A. Throat: Close to 13A; venation, close to 194B.             Tube: Close to 162B; venation, close to N79B.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five             sepals fused towards the base and arranged in a single             whorl. Sepal length: About 1.4 cm. Sepal width: About 3 mm.             Sepal shape: Elliptic. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin:             Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent;             minute. Sepal color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             146A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Angle: About 45° to 55° from stem axis. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Pubescent; minute. Color: Close to 146C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower.             Filament length: About 8 mm. Filament color: Close to 145D.             Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther shape: Round. Anther             color: Close to 4C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:             Close to 4B. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil             length: About 9 mm. Style length: About 7 mm. Style color:             Close to 145D. Stigma shape: Round. Stigma color: Close to             145B. Ovary color: Close to 145C. Seeds and fruits: Seed and             fruit development have not been observed on plants of the             new Calibrachoa. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed     to have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about 40° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Calibrachoa plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘USCAL42202’ as illustrated and described. 